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«bles in fetters of iron. The beauty and "riches of their coftly temples shall deck "the chariots of my children, which their

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captives fhall draw in triumph. But "thou shouldeft remember, that the pro"mised prince of peace, of benignity, and justice, should not be fought among the "tumultuous hofts of war: nor canft thou hope that He, who is the Defire of all "nations, fhould be thy Leader or Gene"ral, to destroy those nations. It is glory " and honour enough for thee, glory and "honour greater than the greatest con

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queror on earth could ever compass, that "the King of kings and Lord of lords "shall be anointed and proclaimed King 66 upon the hill of Sion: that the inviola"ble decrees of everlafting peace shall be

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given to all the nations under heaven "from thy courts. And therefore while "horfes and chariots, and other glorious "preparations of war, fhall prefent them"felves to thy view, fuffer them to pass as they come; and rest affured, that thy

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King, of whose coming thou haft often

"been

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DISC. "been admonished by the prophets, is not

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among them. The manner of his com"ing to thee, fo thou wilt mark it, bodes "far better tidings to thee and all the na"tions befides, than can accompany the "profperous fuccefs of wars, or any victory "ftained with blood. What king of Judah "or Ifrael did ever levy an army, though in juft defence of their country and people, "on fo fair terms, that no poor amongst "them were pinched with taxes for the

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supply? What victory did they ever ob"tain fo cheap, that many of their chil"dren were not forced to fit down with "lofs, many wounded, others maimed, and "fome always flain? But, lo, now I bring "thee unufual matter, of exultation and "joy. For behold thy King cometh unto

thee, when foever he cometh, attended "with justice for his guide, and salvation "for his train. He fhall execute judgment "without oppreffion: he shall save thee, "so thou wilt be saved, without destroying

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any, being able to make thy lame to go, "to give life to thy dead, without hazard

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"either of life or limb to any that refts DISC.
"within thy territories. Such shall be the
"manner of his coming, and fuch his pre-
fence, that the pooreft wretch among

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thy children may think himself more happy than any king of Judah or Ifrael "which was before him, fo he will but "conform himself to the "meanour of his Saviour.

temper and de

For he cometh

"unto the poor and lowly, riding upon "an afs, to wean thee from the vain hopes "of the heathen, from which the prophets "have fo often dehorted thy forefathers. "Some put their truft in horses, and fome "in chariots; but thy confidence must be "in the Lord thy God, who will always "be thy King, to defend thee, to protect "thee, to strengthen thee through this "weakness "."

Having thus taken a general view of the prophecy, proceed we to make fome obfervations and reflections upon the feveral parts of it, in the order in which they lie.

a Dr. JACKSON, vol. ii. p. 845.

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Beautiful and ftriking is the manner in which it is introduced. The prophet doth not coldly inform Jerufalem, that her King fhould come to her, and that, when he did come, he ought to rejoice. Rapt into future times, he feems to have been prefent at the glorious fcene. Standing upon mount Olivet, he hears the Hofanna's of the difciples, and beholds the proceffion approach towards the gates of Jerufalem : he turns himself to the city, and breaks forth in tranfport, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; fhout, O daughter of "Jerufalem!" Religion, then, hath it's joys; a prophet calleth us to exult and fhout; and often as this holy season returneth, the church fecondeth his call. Her fervices difpel the gloom of melancholy, and put gladness into the hearts of all her children. They are wonderfully calculated to renew good impreffions in our minds, to increase our faith, to invigorate our hope, to blow up the facred fires of devotion and charity, and to fill us with all holy and heavenly tempers. They pro

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duce a joy "which no man taketh from DISC. "us," and in which "a ftranger inter"meddleth not:" they infpire a pleasure which no pain can overcome, of which no time can deprive us, and which death will perfect and enfure to us for ever. Perverse Jerufalem rejected joy, and chose forrow for her portion. Glad tidings came to the Gentiles, and were gladly received. The Chriftian church, formed of them, is now the daughter of Sion, and the new Jerufalem. To her the promises are transferred, and made good. She therefore obeyeth the prophet's injunction; fhe continually, with the holy Virgin, "magnifieth the Lord, "and her spirit rejoiceth in God her "Saviour."

The next words of our prophet affign the reason why Jerufalem was called upon to rejoice, namely, the approach of her King: "Behold thy King cometh unto "thee.". A perfon was to vifit Jerufalem, who should deferve to be emphatically ftyled "her King." The nations had their

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